Help A Kid From Texas Learn About Augusta, Maine

This is your opportunity to help broaden the mind of a middle schooler from Texas.

According to the KJ, a fifth grader from Emory, TX is looking for information about Augusta.

The student, known by the initials L. M., is a member of Mrs. James' class at Rains Intermediate School in Emory.  As their class learns more about the United States, they have been tasked with reaching out to the residents of specific cities and towns.  L. M. has been selected to solicit letters from the people of Augusta.

If you'd like to send the student a letter or postcard, the address is:

L.M.

Mrs. James’ class

Rains Intermediate

P.O. Box 247

Emory, TX

75440

Here's the short letter that I intend to send to L. M.

Dear L. M.,

Thank you for taking an interest in our great city. 

In case you did not already know, Augusta is the capital of the State of Maine.  It was selected as the capital not because of its sized, but due to its location in the state.  As it is centrally located, it made travel to it (back in the olden days) much more convenient than if a city in the far south or north had been selected as the capital.  As the capital, it is home to the Maine Statehouse, the governor, and dozens of government offices.

Set on the Kennebec River (pronounced Ken-Ah-Beck), the body of water plays heavily in the city's history.  The first settlement, was a fort on the banks of the river.  Later, during the industrial revolution, the river powered local factories and mills.  The location of the last of those mills, which burned in the early 1980s, has now been turned into a local park that hosts concerts and festivals. 

In recent years, Augusta's downtown has seen a lot of revitalization.  The historic brick buildings, most of which date back to the mid-1800s, are in the process of being renovated.  On the street level, there are new retail and restaurant spaces, while the upper-floors have been turned into very nice apartments and lofts.

I am enclosing bumper stickers from some of our local radio stations.

Good luck with your studies.

Sincerely,

Cooper Fox